Conduct Unbecoming
by NCISVU
Summary: A suspicious car accident brings Gibbs, who's still Mike's probie, to Parris Island where he meets a cocky, young, Marine recruit, Tony DiNozzo. Gibbs is determined to uncover the secrets on the military base and prove himself as an investigator and Tony's determined to find a way into Gibbs' pants. AU/Pre-Series. Slash. More notes inside.


**Warning:** Brief mention of non-con.  
**Author's Note:** This is my contribution to this year's NCIS Big Bang on livejournal. Huge thanks to gibbstonysbabe for betaing and banbury for the lovely art! The art can be viewed on banbury's page or the NCIS_bigbang community on livejournal. Unfortunately this site won't let me add a direct link.

* * *

**Conduct Unbecoming**

Gibbs paced around the conference room, scrubbing a hand down his face while he waited for his boss's arrival. He'd been wracking his brain trying to think of anything that he could have said or done that warranted being summoned, alone, to the conference room but so far he hadn't been able to come up with anything. Mike Franks usually said whatever he had to say in the bullpen in front of everyone. In all the years Gibbs had worked for the man, he'd never been sent somewhere for a private conversation. He was becoming more and more uneasy as the clocked ticked away.

Just as Gibbs was getting ready to sit down and pull himself together, the door swung open and Mike entered.

"Any coffee in there?" Mike asked, nodding towards the coffee maker.

"More like dirty dishwater," Gibbs stated, holding up the pot of nearly see through liquid.

Mike grumbled something unintelligible as he dropped the folder he'd brought in with him onto the table and sat in one of the chairs. Gibbs sat down across from him and caught the folder as Mike slid it across the table. He opened it to find an autopsy report and a few photographs of a charred corpse.

"That body's been bothering Magnus for the past week," Mike said as he watched his probie look over the information. "Supposedly it was burned in a car fire but Magnus says it's too charred and deteriorated to be from an average fire. He found traces of napalm on the remains."

"Napalm?" Gibbs asked. "That's an interesting choice for an accelerant. We thinkin' murder?"

"We're suspicious," Mike said. "That kid either stole the napalm and made a break for it or someone used the napalm to stage the car fire in hopes of covering something up."

"And judging by the small amount of napalm we're thinking the fire was staged. If he was stealing he woulda had enough in the car to blow himself sky high."

Mike smiled proudly at his probie. Gibbs had come a long way from the revenge hungry, young man who'd shown up in his office shortly after his wife and child had been murdered. "I'm sending you to Parris Island to investigate. The kid was a recruit."

"Alone?" Gibbs asked, suppressing his smile and sitting taller in his chair.

"Alone," Mike confirmed. "Don't let me down, Probie."

Gibbs' face lit up at the opportunity to prove himself. Maybe Mike was finally starting to see him as more than someone only good enough to haul gear and do the dirty work.

"Don't get too big for your britches, Gunny," Mike warned when he saw the gleam in Gibbs' eyes. "You're just my eyes in the field. I'm still responsible for all your actions."

"On it, Boss," Gibbs replied, trying to keep his excitement under control.

* * *

Twenty year old Anthony DiNozzo Jr. was just buttoning up the fly of his uniform pants when he heard a knock at the door. A glance at the clock in his room told him he wasn't running behind so he couldn't figure out who would be looking for him that early... unless his DI wanted to get a jump start on putting him through the ringer. It was his last day of surrendering his freedom to the maddening Drill Instructors at Parris Island and he wouldn't put it past them to make his remaining time as miserable as possible. After all, that was something they excelled in.

Two could play at that game though. He tossed his t-shirt onto his bunk and opened the door, bare-chested with his hair defiantly long and as messy as the short crop could possibly get. However, instead of his DI screaming in his face, there was a stranger staring at him. The man was tall and lean and younger than Tony's DI. Judging by his stance and nicely shaped muscles he was definitely military but Tony hadn't seen him around the base before. Perhaps someone else had been brought in in honor of his final day.

"I'm supposed to be getting dressed but," Tony's eyes slowly took in the man if front of him, "seeing you makes me wanna undress again," he blatantly stated. There was a part of him that was just acting out but the man was undeniably attractive and under different circumstances, Tony wouldn't mind having him in his bed.

"Are you seriously flirting with me, DiNozzo?" the man asked. He'd had women try to flirt their way out of trouble but this was the first guy.

"Tony," Tony corrected, stepping aside so the man could enter his tiny room. "All my lovers call me Tony."

"We're not lovers."

"Not yet."

The agent narrowed his eyes at Tony's cocky confidence. The kid was good looking, he'd give him that, but he was there to do a job, not find someone to entertain him that night. "You always this forward?"

"I'm a DiNozzo," Tony said with a shrug. "DiNozzos go after what they want; to hell with society's rules."

"That include murder?" Gibbs asked, narrowing his eyes as he watched and waited for Tony's reaction.

"Ahh," Tony said, "you're an investigator, investigating a crime." That explained how the guy knew his name. "Sounds like you're looking for Senior."

"Special Agent Gibbs and no," the agent said with a shake of his head, "I'm looking for you, _Tony_."

"See!" Tony exclaimed. "I knew the attraction was mutual. It's only a matter of time before we end up in bed together, Agent Gibbs." He brushed his fingers down the agent's arm and meshed them with Gibbs' fingers.

Gibbs stared into the kid's lust filled, green eyes for a moment before separating their hands. "Not in the way you're thinking."

"We'll see," Tony stated confidently with his most charming smile.

"Hear you're droppin' out of boot camp," Gibbs said.

"You come here to humiliate me too?" Tony huffed. "'cause I'm tellin' ya, it ain't gonna work—even if I do like you."

"Not here to humiliate you, Tony," Gibbs responded shaking his head. "I just wanna know why."

"You've obviously done your research, Agent Gibbs." Tony's eyes found the floor as he spoke. He wasn't proud of his failure. "I'm sure the Corps has some record of what a little shit I am."

"Failure to adapt can mean a lot of different things," Gibbs said. It was hard to get out of basic training once you'd signed your life over to the military but not impossible.

"Yeah, well, whatever," Tony mumbled, grabbing his belt off the bed and feeding it through the loops on his pants. "What were you saying about murder earlier?" He really didn't want to talk about why he was getting out—or more accurately being forced out of the Corps.

Gibbs pulled a picture out of the folder he was holding and handed it to Tony.

"Private Caleb Ramsey," Tony acknowledged, staring at the photo.

"Your battle buddy at boot camp," Gibbs said.

"You've been checking me out," Tony said, grinning up at Gibbs. "I'm flattered."

"He's dead," Gibbs stated.

The smile dropped off Tony's face and his eyes went back to the picture. He remembered the day it had been taken. They'd all had their pictures taken during Phase III of boot camp; proudly wearing their uniforms with the American flag and the Marine Corps flag in the background. "You think I had something to do with his death?" His voice tensed as he struggled with the fact that his friend was dead.

Gibbs watched as the tension in Tony's shoulders grew. Tony was uncomfortable which was good for Gibbs. Discomfort often got people talking. He doubted Tony had anything to do with his buddy's death but he wasn't going to let on to that… at least not yet. "I think Private Ramsey was murdered and his body was burned to destroy evidence. What do you have to say about that?"

"I say you don't have a clue what you're dealing with here, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs couldn't argue with that and it was irritating the crap out of him. "Enlighten me."

Tony pursed his lips, staring at a point on the wall beyond Gibbs as he tried to figure out how much to tell the investigator and exactly how to phrase it. He had to be careful if he wanted to make it off base alive, even if it was his last day.

"Out with it, Anthony," Gibbs grumbled. This kid was quick on his feet and Gibbs didn't want to give him a chance to put together a story.

"Impatient! Bet you're rough in bed," Tony guessed with questioning eyes.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs warned, trying to keep the conversation on track. Apparently after four months of celibacy, Tony had a one track mind.

"I know we just met but I have a present for you," Tony said as he unlocked the trunk at the end of his bed. He started pulling out all his personal possessions and laying them on the bed. When he got towards the bottom he peeked over his shoulder to make sure the door was closed before pulling out his laundry bag and handing it to Gibbs. "Don't let anyone see you with that," he said, "and you didn't get it from me."

Gibbs opened the bag and peeked inside at what looked like bedding. He pulled out one of the sheets and found a large blood stain pooled in the middle. There was enough blood to suggest someone had bled out and the location was telling. "Ramsey's?"

Tony nodded. "Took 'em off his bed not too long ago. I didn't realize he was dead."

"Where's his mattress?"

"Gone," Tony answered simply.

"Was he raped?"

"Not exactly," Tony answered hesitantly.

"Explain."

"Boot camp's not exactly a walk in the park," Tony said cautiously. "You have hardcore jarheads constantly screaming in your face, forcing you to push your mind and body beyond its limits. You barely get enough food and they never let you sleep. Plus they cut off all your contact with the outside world. They don't need any reason at all to take away your phone privileges. You can't hang out with your friends. Hell, half the time they won't even let you read the letters your loved ones send you. All that torment and not having a safe person to talk to or a safe place to go… you can get pretty desperate."

"Yeah, I've been through boot camp," Gibbs said. Although the part about the recruits not being allowed to read their mail was either new or very strange. Gibbs was guessing it was the latter.

"But not with these Drill Instructors," Tony stated, hoping Gibbs would pick up on the subtle clues he was trying to give him.

"What's different about your DIs?" Gibbs asked, finally feeling like he might be getting somewhere with the case, though he sure as hell wasn't liking where it seemed to be heading.

"Well, if you're open to certain things, Basic might not be as lonely as it's designed to be."

"What kind of things?" Gibbs probed.

Tony shrugged. "I'm not a very open person, Agent Gibbs," he paused briefly, "except with you."

"You have sex on the brain," Gibbs muttered as he jotted down what Tony was telling him.

"How can I not with you standing in front of me?"

The agent's cheeks colored slightly at the blatant flirting but he did his best to ignore it. It might've been a little easier if the temptation that was Anthony DiNozzo Jr. wasn't standing in front of him with no shirt on, muscles ripped and a waist small enough he could barely keep his pants up even with a belt on. Gibbs found the glimpse of the top of his underwear peeking out incredibly sexy. On top of that Tony was in the best shape of his life, funny and smart as hell. He needed to stay focused though. He had a case to solve. "Are you saying your DIs were soliciting bribes from recruits?"

"I said what I said," Tony said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Feel free to draw your own conclusions."

Gibbs really wanted to smack some sense into the kid until he gave him answers but he knew instinctively that Tony was just trying to protect himself in the only way he knew how. He would have to carefully work the information out of Tony and that would take time.

"Unless you wanna make out I should probably start making my rounds," Tony sighed. "I'm on latrine duty, I'm being punished. It's my last day though!"

"Why are you being punished?" Gibbs asked, tucking his notepad into his pocket.

Tony laughed as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Why not?" he asked.

Gibbs dug his wallet out of his pocket, pulled a business card out and handed it to Tony.

"Is this for a late night booty call?" Tony asked, taking the card and looking at the number.

"If you remember anything else." Gibbs corrected, barely able to hide his grin at the younger man's persistence. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd see Tony again. He also knew that Tony knew a lot more than he was letting on to but Tony needed to report for duty and he needed to get the evidence Tony had given him to Washington to be processed.

"It's been a pleasure, Agent Gibbs," Tony said, extending his arm.

Gibbs shook Tony's hand and let him pull it to his lips. Tony pressed a kiss into Gibbs' palm then folded Gibbs' fingers around it as if he were holding onto it.

"That's for you to keep."

Gibbs rolled his eyes as he turned and left but was unable to keep the smirk of his face.

* * *

Being stuck on latrine duty wasn't as big of a deal for Tony as he suspected his DIs wanted it to be. It got him out from under the scorching sun and away from the constant scrutiny of his superiors and if he was busy scrubbing toilets, he didn't have to spend the day doing PT. He'd just stepped into the last bathroom when he found himself shoved up against the wall in a headlock. He tried to speak but the arm crushing his windpipe prevented it.

"I know you've been talking to that investigator, DiNozzo," the voice said.

Tony's attacker was behind him and his voice was muffled but he was pretty sure he knew who it was.

"This is just a warning." Tony could feel the man fidgeting as he spoke in his ear. "A very _nice_ warning."

A KA-BAR came up between Tony's body and the wall, nicking his thigh and abdomen before resting against his neck. Tony held his breath, wincing in pain but knowing he couldn't move or cry out.

"If I catch you talking to him again, I won't be so nice."

The knife was once again replaced with an arm and the grip tightened until Tony passed out.

* * *

After spending all day digging into every Drill Instructor at Parris Island, paying close attention to the ones in charge of Tony and Ramsey's platoon, Gibbs didn't feel any closer to solving the case. He had the charred remains of Caleb Ramsey and the burned out shell of the Chevy Malibu he'd allegedly driven into a telephone pole. He had confirmation from the rental car company that Ramsey had been the one who'd rented the car, a statement saying all the napalm on base was accounted for and the bloody sheets from Ramsey's bunk that told a disturbing story. And last but not least he had Ramsey's too smart for his own good bunkmate—Anthony DiNozzo Jr.

More questions than answers at that point in the investigation was to be expected and would've been acceptable to most other investigators but not him. He wanted to prove himself and show Mike that he could be what the man had seen behind the wall of grief and revenge. He wanted answers and he wanted them yesterday.

How had Ramsey gotten access to a car while in boot camp? The rental company was miles from the barracks. How had he gotten there? Why had he rented the car when the Corps was days away from sending him home? Like DiNozzo, Ramsey was being discharged for failure to adapt. Maybe he hadn't been alive when the car exploded. Maybe he hadn't been alive when he'd been put into the car. Where had the napalm come from? What was Ramsey's connection to the bribes Tony had hinted at? Were recruits even being bribed? Tony hadn't said so in so many words and all the DIs had clean background checks.

He grunted in frustration as he tried to process everything but his ringing phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Gibbs."

"_Probie, you sendin' us gifts already? I sent you down there to investigate, not go shopping."_

"Sorry, Boss," Gibbs grumbled, "forgot to call. Those are the sheets off Ramsey's bunk. His roommate gave 'em to me."

"_He raped?"_

"Mighta been consensual," Gibbs said. "DiNozzo, that's the roommate, he hinted at some bribes going on."

"_Hinted?"_

"I'm working on him," Gibbs said. "We didn't get much time to talk this morning before he had to report. I'm headed back over there now. I also showed Ramsey's picture to the attendant at the rental car company. She confirmed that he was the one who rented the car."

"_What about the napalm?"_

"The little bit they keep on base is all accounted for. I'm checking into other places he could've gotten some. Nothing yet."

"_Not bad, Probie."_

Gibbs was glad his boss was pleased even though he'd been hoping to have more answers by that point. "Can you have Burley check out the DIs? I couldn't find anything but he's better at that computer stuff than I am."

"_I'll have him get right on it. You keep workin' DiNozzo."_

"I'm heading there now."

Mike barely let Gibbs finish his sentence before hanging up the phone.

After a quick pit stop in the bathroom, Gibbs grabbed his keys and wallet and made his way out to his rental car. His focus started drifting farther from the case and more towards seeing Tony again as he headed for the young man's barracks. He might not be willing to admit it out loud but he was looking forward to seeing him again and not just for the flirting. Getting Tony to talk was going to be a challenge and Gibbs loved challenges.

He stopped at the small pizza stand on base before continuing on towards the barracks. He should have enough time to grab some dinner before Tony made it back to his room. Maybe taking him away from his hot, cramped room with bare walls, uncomfortable bunks and olive drab colored everything and feeding him some real food and soda would encourage him to open up. It was nothing more than good, old fashioned bribery but that might give him an in to reopening the idea of DIs bribing recruits. At the very least it was a good place to start.

Tony was sweating profusely and just limping up to the barracks when Gibbs arrived. He looked like hell but Gibbs didn't expect much different after a long day's work in full uniform under the hot July sun. The combat boots had probably given him blisters which would explain the limp and the heat would explain the sweating but still, something about watching Tony's awkward movements made Gibbs' gut turn. He honked the horn on his rental twice as he pulled up in front of Tony's building.

Tony turned and his smile lit up his face when he saw Gibbs. He made his way over to the car, trying to make his movements look natural, and leaned into the open passenger side window. "This is a surprise," he said happily. "I thought I'd be the one arranging the booty call but here you are again and you brought pizza!"

"Get in the car, DiNozzo."

Tony didn't have to be asked twice. He opened the door and slid in before raising the pizza boxes to his nose and inhaling deeply. It had been four months since he'd had pizza. "Pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese!"

"Impressive. Seatbelt," Gibbs prompted.

"Oh yeah, forgot," Tony said. "Are you taking me back to your place, Agent Gibbs? Are you planning on wining and dining me before we hop into bed?"

"No wining. No dining. No bed," Gibbs said.

"So you say now… we'll see." The sharp look from Gibbs didn't do anything to deter Tony's mouth. "What's with the look? We're you planning on just staring at this pizza and the Coke? 'cause I gotta tell you, I'm starving."

"I live in Alexandria," Gibbs said. "We're going to my hotel."

"I dig hotel sex!" Tony said excitedly.

"I'll give you points for persistence," Gibbs offered.

Tony smiled proudly. His crappy last day as a Marine had just gotten a whole lot better. "Must be a pretty big investigation if they're bringing in the big guns from DC."

"Mm-hmm." Once again Tony was proving how smart he was. The MPs on base were in over their heads and when their ME hadn't gotten very far with the burned body and they couldn't figure out how or why Ramsey had rented the car, they'd called the home office for help. They didn't have the manpower or resources for what was turning out to be a complicated case.

"Did you get any beer?" Tony asked, looking around the car.

"You're underage."

"Oh yeah," Tony said as if he'd forgotten, "and you're a federal agent. One who drives surprisingly slow. Put the pedal to the metal, Agent Gibbs, I'm starving here!"

"Now who's impatient?" Gibbs asked.

"I like it rough in bed too," Tony stated, recalling their earlier conversation. "I think I'll just grab a slice now to tide me over."

Gibbs pulled into the parking lot of the hotel on base and parked near the front entrance. There weren't many people checked in to the large hotel and thankfully there wouldn't be for a couple weeks when the next class of recruits graduated. Gibbs didn't like waiting for elevators or squeezing through crowds.

Tony followed Gibbs into his fourth floor room, munching on his slice of pizza while balancing the other two boxes in one hand. "You sure know the way to my heart," he said around a mouthful of pizza.

Gibbs smiled as he took the two pizza boxes from Tony and put them on the kitchen island before grabbing a slice. He wondered how long it'd take Tony to make the connection and sure enough, the kid didn't disappoint.

"Are you bribing me with pizza, Agent Gibbs?"

"I get the impression from our chat this morning that I wouldn't be the only one," Gibbs said.

Tony shrugged nonchalantly and propped his combat boot on the rung of the barstool Gibbs had settled in. He lowered the zipper on the side and kicked it off. Gibbs noticed he was once again moving slower and more stiffly than he had been that morning and the nagging feeling in his gut grew stronger.

"You know, when I was in, we actually had to use the laces," Gibbs said.

"Kids these days have it way too easy," Tony scoffed.

Gibbs smiled. The more time he spent with Tony, the more he liked him. "Tell me about Ramsey."

"He was a good guy." Tony said, picking at another slice of pizza after he'd removed his boots. "Kind of a momma's boy but not in an overly sissy way. He was tough and respected but he did miss his mom and most of us knew about it."

"Tell me about the night he died," Gibbs prodded.

"I can't really tell you much. Nothing happened in our room. I didn't see anything."

Gibbs suspected Tony knew more than he was letting on but he didn't want to push too much too fast and risk Tony shutting down on him.

"Got any glasses?" Tony asked, holding up the 2 liter of Coke.

"Supposed to be a fully stocked kitchen," Gibbs said, gesturing towards the area. "Check the cupboards."

The two opened cabinet doors until Tony spotted what they were looking for. "Here they are," he said, "top shelf."

Gibbs turned as Tony stretched and caught a glimpse of red on the light tan t-shirt under Tony's BDU jacket. He grabbed onto the jacket and lifted it and realized the red was blood.

"No!" Tony protested, trying to cover his injury.

"Let me see, Tony," Gibbs said gently. When Tony didn't make any effort to move, Gibbs released the Velcro, unzipped his jacket and slid it off his shoulders. He lifted Tony's t-shirt and found what looked like an entire box of band-aids on his right side but they didn't seem to be doing the trick because there was blood seeping through them. "Take your shirt off."

"It's fine, Agent Gibbs," Tony insisted as he tried to pull his shirt back down.

"I can take it off for you," Gibbs threatened.

"Okay, alright," Tony acquiesced, "but I think I need some help."

Gibbs watched Tony for a moment, searching for any signs of the sex-crazed young man but the only thing he saw was a hint of fear. He really did need help. There was no ulterior motive. No wonder his gut had been turning. How much blood had Tony lost? He was already pale and sweaty.

Tony guarded his side while Gibbs eased his shirt off, one arm at a time before pulling it over his head.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked as he started removing band-aids. "You were fine this morning."

"So I had a little accident," Tony said, still trying to blow the whole situation off.

"The hell it was," Gibbs snarled. He removed the last band-aid to find a clean, four inch cut on Tony's abdomen. "Did you have any more _accidents _today?"

Tony hesitated only briefly, shifting from one foot to the other. It was enough for Gibbs to know the answer to his question without Tony saying a word.

"Where?"

Tony just pointed at his leg.

"Take your pants off," Gibbs ordered as he grabbed a stack of hand towels from the bathroom.

"I suspected I was gonna end up taking my pants off for you at some point but I thought it'd be under different circumstances." Tony struggled to keep his tone light as he worked his belt.

Gibbs watched as Tony's pants fell to the floor and he was left standing there wearing only the standard issue brown briefs and matching socks. There were just as many band-aids on his inner thigh as there had been on his abdomen. "Lie down on the bed," he instructed, "and no comments about how you knew we were gonna end up in bed." Gibbs raised his eyebrow and pointed a finger at the younger man as he spoke.

Tony smiled seductively at Gibbs as he eased himself onto the bed. When he lowered his head onto the pillows Gibbs noticed the bruises forming on Tony's neck but didn't say anything. He rolled up one of the towels and put pressure on the gash on Tony's side before turning his attention to his leg.

"Did you go on a field trip to the band-aid factory today, Tony?"

"I was bleeding," Tony said with a shrug. "I just used what I could find."

"I'm trying not to pull too much," Gibbs said apologetically.

"You're not hurting me," Tony assured him. "Actually, you're turning me on. I'm getting hard."

"I see that," Gibbs said, stealing a glance at the growing bulge in Tony's briefs. He couldn't have lost that much blood. "But now's not the time."

"I can't help it, Agent Gibbs," Tony said. "Your hands feel so good on me."

"Why didn't you see base medical instead of using 47 band-aids?" Gibbs asked, ignoring Tony's comment.

"You're getting hard too, aren't you, Agent Gibbs?" Tony's eyes lingered on the older man's groin. "Your pants are looking a little tight. Can I touch?"

"What did I just say?" Gibbs grumbled gently. Tony was right but he didn't need him pointing it out. Somebody had to stay focused.

"Now's not the time," Tony repeated, mimicking Gibbs' tone. "Does that mean there'll be a time later? Because I would really like that."

"Focus, Tony. Why didn't you go to base medical?"

"Maybe because I was waiting for your special touch," Tony purred, still avoiding answering the question.

"He had you in a headlock," Gibbs said as he touched the faint bruises on Tony's neck. "What did he say? What was the threat?" It didn't take a seasoned investigator to figure out Tony had been threatened.

"I'm supposed to stop talking to you," Tony replied nervously. He hoped that wouldn't make Gibbs disappear. Too many people had disappeared from his life already.

The muscles in Gibbs' face tightened as he realized he'd been the cause of Tony's injuries. He should've known something like this would happen. He should've protected Tony.

"Nothing can come between true love, Agent Gibbs," Tony quipped, doing his best to remove the worry and blame that he noticed in Gibbs' eyes. "There was no way I was gonna stay away from you."

"Damn it, Tony, I can help you but you have to trust me."

"I do trust you," Tony said without hesitation.

"Then tell me who did this to you."

Tony turned away and started picking at his cuticles. "I don't know. I didn't see him."

"But ya heard him," Gibbs countered.

"Something was covering his mouth. His voice was muffled." It wasn't an outright lie. He didn't see the guy and his voice had been muffled. Just because Tony had suspicions didn't mean he could start throwing accusations around.

"I'm gonna call an ambulance," Gibbs said.

"No!" Tony panicked, grabbing Gibbs' wrist to stop him from getting the phone. "I'm fine. I swear. I can't go to the hospital."

"You've got a four inch gash on your abdomen, a five inch gash on your inner thigh, you're sweating, you're pale and you won't even tell me what the hell happened to you!" Gibbs was almost yelling by the time he was done.

"I can't," Tony said apologetically.

"Why not?"

Tony just shrugged.

"You need stitches at the very least," Gibbs said, calming once again, "and I don't wanna try to shove you back into those pants."

"You don't like it when I wear pants, do you, Agent Gibbs?" Tony asked.

Gibbs turned to hide his smile as he called for an ambulance. This kid was exasperating, even in the midst of tense situations and damn it if he wasn't finding himself charmed by his antics.

* * *

Two hours later, Tony's wounds had been cleaned, stitched and dressed and he was resting comfortably while an IV replaced his lost fluids and delivered antibiotics to prevent any infections. The doctors had determined he hadn't lost enough blood to warrant a transfusion. The band-aids had done a decent job of holding the cuts together but hadn't stopped them from reopening when Tony moved too much.

Gibbs was sitting in the chair beside Tony's bed, looking over the files he'd brought with him and stealing occasional glances at the younger man. There was no way he was letting Tony out of his sight until whoever had done this to him was locked up. He didn't want him to end up dead. "What're you doing?" he asked when he saw Tony's hand moving under the blanket.

"Masturbating," Tony said with a straight face. "Wanna help?" He laughed when Gibbs glared at him. "I'm kidding. The tape they used on the bandage itches. Don't know why I need stitches _and_ a bandage."

"Helps prevent infection," Gibbs said.

"Whatever." Tony rolled his eyes. "Gimme your hand."

Without thinking, Gibbs put his hand in Tony's and before he knew it his fingers were resting on the kid's dick—his hard dick.

"I've been hard all day thinking about you," Tony whispered. "Well, not the whole 'if you have an erection lasting longer than four hours seek medical attention hard 'cause that would be scary. Just…very… hard."

Gibbs closed his eyes as he felt his willpower fading. Being Mike's probie barely left him enough time to get off in the shower in the morning. Now there was a young, warm body—a very attractive warm body—begging for his attention. On top of that Tony always ended up scantily dressed when he was around. It would've been so easy to give in and he wanted nothing more than to do just that. "I need coffee," he muttered, reluctantly pulling his hand away as he stood.

He asked at the nurse's station and was pointed in the direction of the employee lounge. Relieved to step away from Tony for a moment to get a grasp on his slipping control, he focused on brewing a pot of coffee. Before heading back down the hall he grabbed a Coke out of the vending machine for Tony. A surge of adrenaline rushed through him when he saw a group of nurses and a doctor gathered around in Tony's room. He pushed his way through the crowd expecting the worse but discovered Tony still resting comfortably in bed while one of the nurses checked the electrodes attached him.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"The monitors must've shorted out or something," Tony said innocently. "They started going off but I'm fine."

"That's strange," the nurse said when she finished her check. "Nothing's loose and everything's still attached. Your pulse is a little fast though, Tony."

"I'm okay," Tony assured her with a sweet smile.

"Alright, just take it easy, sweetheart," the nurse said. "You need to rest."

"I will," Tony said, "I promise."

Gibbs waited as the room cleared out then handed Tony the Coke he'd brought him and sat down in the chair beside the bed. "What'd you do?" he asked.

"I told you my dick's been hard all day." Tony sunk into the bed blushing slightly. "I needed a little relief. Apparently masturbating while you're hooked up to a bunch of monitors scares the nurses."

Gibbs couldn't have stopped the laugh if he wanted to. There was never a dull moment with this kid. "Ya think, DiNozzo?"

* * *

"Where are we headed now?" Tony asked as he walked out to the car hanging onto Gibbs' arm. He didn't really need the support but any excuse to be close was a good one and he was never one to waste an opportunity.

"Back to the hotel," Gibbs answered.

"Good plan," Tony said. "We can finish what we started earlier."

"Tony," Gibbs warned.

"I was talking about the pizza." Tony smiled innocently.

"Uh-huh," Gibbs replied skeptically. "Who did this to you?"

The question shouldn't have caught Tony off guard but it did. "Did what?" he asked, buying himself some time to come up with what he hoped would be an acceptable answer.

"Stuck a knife in your gut and another one in your leg?"

"Oh. I really couldn't tell ya," Tony answered nonchalantly.

"Tony, this is getting serious."

"Aw, you're worried about me. That's so sweet."

"Tony!" Gibbs snapped.

"I'm getting on a plane tomorrow," Tony said. "They won't waste their time coming after little ol' me."

"You're not going anywhere." Gibbs' eyes bored into the younger man. "I'm putting you in protective custody."

"Who'll be protecting me?"

"Me."

Tony grinned from ear to ear as Gibbs pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

Gibbs' mind was spinning with questions as they once again started eating their dinner. Tony watched with interest and wondered how much Gibbs had managed to figure out. Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to just ask.

"What do you know so far?"

Gibbs looked over at Tony and contemplated not answering the question but ultimately decided it would be nice to have someone to talk the case out with. That and there was always the possibility Tony would correct him if he didn't have all his facts straight. "Ramsey was murdered, probably an accident. After getting a look at the sheets you gave me I'm thinking he was either raped or the sex got out of hand; his insides got torn up and he bled out. Based on what you've told me, one of your DIs is soliciting bribes."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I never said that," Tony corrected.

"Not in so many words," Gibbs stated. "I'll keep your name out of it."

"What else do you know?" Tony asked.

"Not much."

"Well, it's a good start," Tony said. He shoved the last bit of pizza crust into his mouth before flopping down on the bed and patting the mattress next to him. "Sit down. I'll tell you a bedtime story."

Gibbs settled in the bed with his back against the headboard and waited while Tony fluffed his pillow and made himself comfortable. He didn't say anything or move away when Tony cuddled right up to him.

"Five weeks ago the DIs walked through the barracks with pizza and beer. Pizza and beer is one of my weaknesses and I woulda done just about anything to get my hands on some." He paused and leered seductively at Gibbs. "You're one of my weaknesses too, Agent Gibbs."

"Focus, boy," Gibbs coaxed.

"Right." Tony took a deep breath and continued. "I was lucky enough to be invited to dinner. They musta noticed the trail of drool behind me. Anyways, I wasn't stupid. I knew it'd come at a price but I was willing to pay up or do some extra chores or whatever."

"Only that's not what they wanted," Gibbs guessed.

"I was pulled aside in an office and pushed to my knees. This guy tried to feed me his dick without any warning. He was persistent so I bit him, hard, in the groin. I didn't bite his dick, even though that's what he deserved. I just didn't want it in my mouth, not even if there was pizza and beer waiting for me." He paused and looked up at Gibbs. "I wouldn't mind having your dick in my mouth."

"Tony," Gibbs warned, trying to ignore the tingling sensation in his groin.

Tony just smiled sweetly.

Gibbs was burning with anger at what he was hearing but Tony was doing a good job of keeping his anger at bay with his easygoing personality. He needed to stay focused on the case. Solving it meant justice for Tony and the others. "So they're wanting sexual favors in exchange for a little luxury."

"I guess," Tony said. "They don't seem to be interested in money."

"What else?"

"The only other thing I know about is calls home and grunt work. Some people get a lot more time on the phone and others get more grunt work."

"Who tried to force you to go down on them, Tony?" Gibbs asked. Their eyes met and Gibbs knew Tony was hesitant to answer but he really needed to know. "Trust me, please."

Tony swallowed hard and looked away, his eyes wandering the room before meeting up with Gibbs' again. "I don't know," he lied. "It all happened really fast but it's over now and nothing really happened. He can't even report me. What would he say? DiNozzo bit me when I tried to force him to give me head."

"It's still sexual assault," Gibbs said.

Tony just stared silently at him.

Gibbs sighed heavily, knowing Tony was lying to him. He knew who had forced him to his knees but Gibbs was quickly figuring out that no matter how hard he pushed him, Tony wouldn't cave. He would have to find another way. "Go to sleep," he instructed. "We'll talk more in the morning."

* * *

Gibbs laid quietly in his bed, one hand propped behind his head and the other draped over Tony's torso, fingers tracing the firm muscles while he slept with his head on Gibbs' chest. Tony had stripped down sometime in the middle of the night. Gibbs didn't know if he'd done it purposefully or in his sleep but he found it more tempting than disturbing. It would be so easy to reach down and touch him, knowing that the touch would be welcomed and lead to so much more , but he managed to hang on to his control and resist doing just that.

The sun was already crawling high in the sky and Tony still hadn't stirred yet. Gibbs knew they'd have to get up soon but he wasn't ready yet. He had a lot on his mind and it was easier to think when Tony wasn't busy trying to seduce him. After talking with Tony and boucing a few theories off of him, the pieces were finally starting to fall into place and the picture was coming in focus but he was still missing something.

"I like it when you touch me," Tony mumbled groggily.

"Morning," Gibbs said softly.

"Time's it?"

"9:15."

"You didn't take advantage of me while I was sleeping, did you?" Tony asked as he covered Gibbs' hand with his.

"No."

"Good, 'cause I wouldn't wanna miss that."

Gibbs smiled.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Tony asked. He stretched his arms and legs, letting the sheet travel farther and farther down his body until his pubic hair was visible and the outline of his cock could be seen under the hem of the sheet.

Gibbs tried not to stare but that was easier said than done. "Coffee. Gotta get your separation papers then maybe some chow."

"Like off base? At a real restaurant?"

"Sure," Gibbs answered. "If that's what you want. Why don't you go hop in the shower while I check in with my boss."

"Real food," Tony said dreamily as he rolled out of bed, not even attempting to hide his naked ass from Gibbs as he headed for the bathroom.

"Kid has no shame," Gibbs muttered under his breath as his eyes followed Tony until he disappeared.

* * *

Tony had little trouble getting his separation papers with Gibbs breathing down the secretary's neck. Everything had already been typed, printed and signed. It was just a matter of Tony signing his name on the appropriate line and Gibbs taking custody of him instead of the Corps putting him on a plane headed for home. They were in and out in ten minutes and the noises Tony's stomach was making told Gibbs breakfast couldn't wait any longer.

"What kind of real food do you want?" Gibbs asked as they walked out of the admin office.

"I dunno," Tony answered as he read the paper he'd just signed. "Is there a Bob Evans anywhere close?"

That choice surprised Gibbs. He turned to see if Tony was joking around again but instead saw a red laser beam on Tony's chest. He immediately tackled him to the ground and covered him with his body as a gunshot rang out. "Son of a bitch!" he grumbled.

"What the hell was that?"

"A sniper." Gibbs scanned nearby rooftops and windows, his gun moving in tandem with his eyes. The sirens in the distance told him someone had called the MPs and lucky for them they were nearby.

"You're bleeding," Tony said, touching his shirt where Gibbs' blood had splattered and Gibbs's arm where the blood was seeping out.

Gibbs looked down at his arm where Tony was touching him. "It's just a scratch. Get up. Stay alert and stay behind me."

"Where're we going?"

"The car."

After getting Tony tucked away safely in the car, Gibbs had a brief conversation with the MPs while one of the base medics cleaned the bullet graze on his bicep. As badly as he wanted to be out looking for the shooter, his top priority was keeping Tony safe. That was the second threat on his life in less than two days and realistically, the shooter was probably long gone. The quickest way to wrap the case up and keep Tony safe was to put a name to the attacker and get him off the street before anyone else got hurt.

"You alright?" Gibbs asked as he slipped into the driver seat.

"'m fine," Tony answered, seemingly unfazed by what had just happened. "I'm guessing breakfast is off?"

"We'll stop at the Burger King by the hotel," Gibbs said apologetically. The sooner he got Tony out of public the better. It was time to call in some backup from the only person he trusted—his boss.

Thirty minutes later Tony was practically inhaling a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast burrito while Gibbs called Mike Franks from the safety of his hotel room.

"We're not goin' anywhere, Boss," Gibbs assured the man. "I don't want him outta my sight and I don't trust anyone else to watch him at this point. Not until I know who' s involved."

"_He tell you who's behind this?"_

"Not yet." Gibbs' eyes were on Tony as he started removing his clothes. "I'll have a name by the time you arrive."

"_You had better, Probie."_

"What are you doing?" Gibbs asked after hanging up the phone.

"I've been wearing the same clothes for the last three days. They're sweaty and smelly and now they have my blood and your blood all over them," Tony explained. "Besides," he added, dropping his pants and letting his cock spring free, "they're kinda confining." He looked over at Gibbs and saw the man staring at his cock. "You could play with it if you want."

"Tony, do you understand the seriousness of this?" Gibbs asked, barely managing to peel his eyes off the younger man's dick. He was trying not to get frustrated but after the morning's near miss it wasn't easy, even with Tony's award winning ability to distract him.

"Sure," Tony answered, sitting down on the bed. "I guess danger turns me on."

Gibbs took a deep, calming breath and pulled a chair over by the bed. It was time to try a new approach with Tony. He sat down in front of him and rested his hands on Tony's shoulders. "I need to know, Tony. Who's bribing recruits?"

The only thing on Tony's mind was his raging hormones and his hard dick and having Gibbs in such close proximity destroyed the last of his willpower. He closed the short gap between them, tentatively pressing his lips to Gibbs.

Gibbs kissed Tony back and let him deepen it when he tried. He gently laid Tony down on the mattress and scooted over his body as the kissing continued, all the time telling himself it was just a game; a technique to get Tony to talk. He ran his hand down Tony's lightly furred chest as the kiss broke and their eyes met.

Tony wrapped his hand around Gibbs' wrist and pushed it down to his cock. His entire body jerked when Gibbs wrapped his hand around his dick. His eyes closed and his mouth opened as he rocked into Gibbs' hand. Finally. It had been four months since he'd been allowed to have sex and now he was enjoying the culmination of two days of trying to seduce Gibbs. This was way better than hooking up with someone at a bar.

"Fuck, you're good at that," Tony groaned, squirming and rocking while Gibbs tugged, twisted and teased. His body melted into the mattress as his climax approached. He was going to cum way too quick but there was no way he'd be able to hold off. It had been far too long and Gibbs' hand felt way too good. He needed to cum now.

A strangled gasp escaped his mouth when Gibbs fingered his slit and teased the area just beneath. His breathing grew heavier as his body prepared for release but at the last second the firm strokes stopped and the hand that had been providing so much pleasure wrapped tightly around the base of his cock and balls, stopping things from going any farther.

"No," Tony whimpered.

Gibbs leaned down and gently kissed Tony's lips before whispering in his ear. "Tell me."

"You're cruel," Tony whined, trying to thrust against Gibbs' grip, desperate to find his release.

"Who's threatening you?"

Tony reached down to stroke himself but Gibbs intercepted his hand and pinned it above his head. Tony lifted his head, desperate for another kiss which Gibbs happily granted him.

"Just say the name and it'll all be over," Gibbs coaxed quietly.

"Brighton," Tony whimpered. "DI Brighton."

"Good boy," Gibbs praised releasing his grip and going back to stroking.

Tony threw his head back, moaning as the friction on his cock began again and wantonly thrusting into Gibbs' hand. Gibbs sped up his movements and watched Tony's body arch off the mattress and his face contort in ecstasy as he spurted all over both of them. The unintelligible whimpers didn't stop until Tony had emptied himself completely and he went limp on the bed.

Gibbs wiped them up with the sheet while Tony rested peacefully with his eyes closed. He crawled off, assuming Tony was asleep, sat down on the end of the bed and pulled his phone out again.

"Burley," he said, "Mike gone?"

"_Just walked out."_

"I got a name. Brighton, he's a DI. Got anything on him?"

"_Kid finally broke. Let me see what I can find."_

While Gibbs was waiting for Stan to look up the Drill Instructor, Tony sat up behind him, rested his legs on either side of him and wrapped his arms around Gibbs' midsection. He rested his head against Gibbs' back and it wasn't long before his fingers started exploring. Gibbs pinned Tony's arms with his before he could get too far.

"_Got him. Cody Brighton. I'll send you everything we've got."_

"Thanks, Stan."

Gibbs released Tony's arms so he could hang up the phone and Tony took it as an invitation to resume playing. "No, Tony."

"Please?"

"If you're still interested when this case is closed and you're allowed to go home, I'll think about it," Gibbs replied.

Tony stiffened and Gibbs immediately regretted what he said. Maybe Tony wasn't the one night stand kind of guy after all. Maybe he hadn't just been looking for someone to help him get off. Gibbs knew he never should've given in to the temptation and his own need to touch Tony and now he was regretting it even more.

"I don't exactly have a home," Tony explained. "My dad was sort of grooming me to be his second but I hated it. I graduated college, went to work for my dad and sat at a desk all day. Didn't take long for me to figure out a career in business wasn't for me. He disowned me when I joined up. Told me not to bother coming home again."

Gibbs rested his arms on top of Tony's and hugged them to him. "I'm sorry, Tony."

"It's no big deal," Tony said nonchalantly. "I'll figure something out. And for the record, I wasn't just looking for an easy way to get off, Agent Gibbs. I'll still be plenty interested after your case is closed, just so you know." He had no idea why he told Gibbs about his dad, maybe because it was nice to have someone to talk to and for a moment he could pretend that someone actually cared about him. He turned over and stretched out in the bed. "I think I'm gonna grab a quick catnap if that's okay. I'm really tired all of a sudden."

"Adrenaline crash," Gibbs acknowledged. "Go ahead. I've gotta look over some work files." _And think about some things,_ he thought. If Tony was angling for more than a one night stand or quick hand job he definitely had some things to figure out.

* * *

A harsh knock at the door alerted Gibbs to his boss's arrival. He hadn't even realized it had gotten as late as it had. He quickly covered Tony's naked body on his way to open the door. Hopefully the air conditioner had eliminated or at least masked the smells from Tony's orgasm.

"This is Caldwell, MP. He's gonna stay with the kid while we go pick up our dirt bag. You know who we're pickin' up?"

Gibbs was glad he had a name since Mike was already prepared to pick the guy up. "Cody Brighton, DiNozzo and Ramsey's DI. He got off duty an hour ago and according to one of the other DIs, he always goes to the gym after work."

"He asleep?" Mike asked nodding at Tony.

"Yeah. A lot of excitement over the past 48 hours. He finally crashed."

"Don't let him outta your sight, Caldwell," Mike said. "I don't want either of you so much as stepping out into the hallway."

"Understood, Sir."

"Don't call me sir."

Gibbs peeled out of the parking lot while Mike called the NCIS agents on base and gave them a location. They met up at the base gym and came up with a quick plan while they put their Kevlar on. They set up two agents at the back and side doors in case Brighton tried to run while Mike and Gibbs went in through the front door flanked by two more agents. The woman at the front desk pointed them to Brighton who was running on the treadmill and watching their every move.

"He's gonna run," Gibbs predicted as they approached.

"Let him try," Mike said. Even if he did he wouldn't get very far.

To their surprise Brighton didn't run. Instead he stopped the treadmill and stepped off as they approached. "Can I help you?" he asked, toweling the sweat off his forehead.

"Cody Brighton?" Gibbs asked.

"That's me."

"Special Agent Gibbs," Gibbs said flashing his badge. "This is Special Agent Franks, Montgomery and Wells. We're gonna need you to come with us."

"Got a warrant?" Brighton asked.

"As a matter of fact we do," Mike said, pulling the folded up piece of paper out of his breast pocket. "We were trying to be subtle but I can see you'd rather do it the other way. Cuff him, Probie."

* * *

Gibbs watched as Mike paced back and forth in Brighton's blind spot. After five hours of interrogating the man, it was clear they weren't going to get anything out of him and Gibbs could see his boss's patience growing thin. There was no doubt about what he'd done but he refused to admit anything. He was a fairly new DI with a clean record. This was the first time he'd been given authority over a group of people. The vulnerability of the new recruits combined with his own need to exert power made it easy for Brighton to take advantage of them. There was no way NCIS was going to let him get away with it.

"We have a witness that puts you at the rental car company the night of Ramsey's death," Mike bluffed. It was risky because if Brighton wasn't there he'd know they had nothing but no one else made sense. It had to have been Brighton who'd driven the recruit and Mike was running out of viable threats.

"Ya know," Brighton said, "I think this has gone on long enough. I'd like to speak with my lawyer now."

Mike was clearly unhappy about the request but the guy had said the magic word and he had no choice but to stop questioning him. It did give him hope that he'd been right about Brighton being present when the car was rented. "You're gonna need a lot more than a lawyer to get you outta this mess, Brighton."

Mike stepped into the hall where Gibbs was waiting for him. His patience had obviously run out, which meant Gibbs needed to proceed cautiously. "It's lookin' like DiNozzo's gonna have to testify. You think you can get him to loosen his lips, Probie?"

That was a conversation Gibbs wasn't looking forward to having, especially after Tony's reluctance to tell him anything in the first place, but Brighton had to pay for what he'd done and in the face of Mike's anger there was only one right answer. "I'll talk him into it, Boss."

"Good," Mike said. "Agent Montgomery's arranging a couple seats on a transport flight back to DC tonight. I'll take Brighton. You bring Tony back tomorrow. I don't want them on the same plane."

Gibbs didn't know if he should be thrilled or dreading that journey but judging by his twitching dick it was the former. There was no sense in him denying his own growing attraction to Tony. "On it, Boss," he replied.

Mike disappeared down the hall leaving Gibbs standing there alone with his thoughts. At least he'd have time to talk Tony into testifying and that would mean that he would need to stay in contact with him. Hell, Tony could even stay with him if he wanted. He had the space and Tony had nowhere else to go. That and Gibbs didn't want Tony running. He knew he was treading in dangerous waters but he couldn't imagine saying goodbye to Tony. He hadn't had that much fun or felt that alive just being with someone since Shannon. There was a risk he could end up getting hurt again but the reward far outweighed that and that made it an easy decision. It was well worth taking the chance.

Gibbs arrived back at his hotel nearly six hours after leaving. It was late so he hadn't stopped for food, figuring Tony had already eaten. If he hadn't, they could always order in or go on a middle of the night food run. With the threat gone they could even go off base for some real food if Tony wanted. He was just anxious to get back to the younger man.

"Gibbs, comin' in," he announced as he swiped the keycard.

"He's in the bathtub," Caldwell said, gesturing to the closed bathroom door.

"Any problems?"

"Nope."

"He spend all night flirting with you?" Gibbs asked with a chuckle.

"No," Caldwell said. "He did quiz me about you though. Wanted to know everything."

Gibbs shrugged it off, trying to act as if it were no big deal though his interest was certainly piqued. "Maybe he's thinking about a new career. Never know with him." Maybe Tony wasn't the playboy he'd made him out to be but why was he fascinated with him—a former Marine turned surly investigator who was pushing thirty and didn't know how to be anything other than a bastard. Tony was a good looking young man who could have anyone he set his sights on—male or female. Why him?

"Am I clear to go?" Caldwell asked.

Gibbs shook himself out of his thoughts back to the present. "Yeah, thanks, Caldwell."

"No problem."

As soon as Caldwell was gone Gibbs stripped out of his work clothes and changed into a pair of athletic shorts. It had been a long couple days and he was looking forward to a little peace and relaxation… and alone time with Tony.

"I ordered Chinese food for dinner," Tony said as he stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel dangerously low and loosely wrapped around his waist. "I wasn't sure what you liked so I got a variety."

Gibbs nodded his head in acknowledgment as he stretched out on the unmade bed. Tony's cum was all over the sheets of the other bed. "Caldwell says you didn't flirt with him. Fallin' down on the job?" He needed the answer before he would even consider acting on what he could finally admit to himself he wanted.

"No," Tony said, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Gibbs. "I only want you, Agent Gibbs. Not him or any other guy."

"It's Jethro and you're too young to know what you want," Gibbs said offhandedly.

"I'm not too young to realize I get tingles all over my body whenever you touch me or talk to me or even look at me."

Tony's face was serious, his eyes open and honest knowing that he needed to put it all out there. Hiding behind humor would only hurt him at that point. He met Gibbs' eyes hoping the other man could see that he wasn't playing a game.

Gibbs wanted to believe Tony and he could see that Tony was serious but he was still hesitant. There was a lot on the line for both of them.

"Plus my dick's always hard when you're around. It usually knows what we want."

There it was. That was the Tony that was weaseling his way into Gibbs' heart and it didn't hurt that his own dick was equally in agreement. He was really falling for this guy. "So, what's your plan? What's next for Anthony DiNozzo Jr.?" he asked, trying to get the conversation off sex yet again. Hopefully it would be a good segue into talking to Tony about testifying.

"Don't know," Tony answered. "Haven't thought that far ahead yet. I've just been trying to get out of this mess and put it behind me."

"Can't put it behind you quite yet," Gibbs said. "It's lookin' like we're gonna need you to testify against Brighton. There's still a chance JAG could plead him out but we'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, I'd like to take you to DC with me, just in case."

"Where will I stay?" Tony asked.

"With me, if you want."

"I like the sound of that!"

"You need to call anybody? Dad? Mom? Brother? Sister? Pet dog? Fish?"

"Mom's dead. Dad would just hang up on me, after he said 'I told you so,' of course. I don't have any siblings or pets. It's just me."

Gibbs wanted to change the 'me' to 'us' but he couldn't manage to get the word out. A knock at the door got him off the hook. "I'll get it," he said, narrowing his eyes when he saw Tony jump for it. "You don't have any clothes on."

"Ah, you don't want anybody else to see me naked. Is that it? Are you the possessive type? I think I'd really like that."

Gibbs shot a glare over his shoulder before accepting the food and tipping the delivery man. From the looks of it Tony had ordered enough to feed half the base but after watching him eat earlier, Gibbs knew none of the food would go to waste.

"It's kinda late to eat dinner," Tony said. Seeing Gibbs finally stripped out of his work clothes and wearing only a pair of athletic shorts was making him hungry for something else.

"Tony, you were eating pizza at midnight last night."

"That wasn't dinner. That was a midnight snack."

"So you're not hungry anymore?"

Tony walked over to Gibbs and licked his lips as he looked down the man's body. "Not for Chinese food." Tony knew he would never get enough of the man before him; that he would always want more.

Gibbs' shorts started tenting under Tony's scrutiny and there was no way to hide it.

"The case is over," Tony said, grazing his fingertips over Gibbs' bare chest, pulling gently on his nipple.

"Yeah, it is," Gibbs agreed, remembering his earlier promise.

"I'm still interested," Tony murmured, his lips hovering over Gibbs' mouth.

He ended the statement with a kiss that Gibbs quickly took control of. There was no more hesitation, no more doubt, no reason not to give in to their desires. Tony hadn't freaked out about testifying and he'd been excited about the invitation to stay at his house. There was still a possibility Tony could end up hurting him but there was nothing holding him back anymore. He wanted this. He was ready to explore where it might lead. And he had to have Tony. Risks be damned.

Gibbs reached down and knocked Tony's towel free before hooking his hands behind his knees and lifting him up while Tony clung to his neck. He walked them over to the bed and laid them down as he continued to pepper Tony's face with kisses. Tony's hands scrambled down Gibbs' long, lean torso, headed directly for his tented shorts. He rubbed his hand roughly over Gibbs' cock, exploring the throbbing organ and taking advantage of the man's open mouth by stealing a deep kiss.

Gibbs kissed down the side of Tony's cheek and over his neck as he frantically tried to get his shorts off. He teased Tony's nipple with his tongue before continuing to kiss lower. Tony writhed beneath him, arching into every kiss and lick and nip, moaning as he squirmed.

"Fuuck," Tony whimpered when Gibbs licked roughly over his cock head. His dick strained towards the man as his hips thrust up. "Stop. Don't, please. You're gonna make me cum."

"That's not what you want?" Gibbs asked, licking over Tony's balls before nibbling on the skin hiding behind them.

"Ahh." Tony couldn't stop grunting and moaning long enough to answer. "I wanna be fucked," he barely managed to get out.

Gibbs finally succeeded in kicking his shorts off and freeing his legs. At Tony's request, he continued licking lower, letting his tongue swipe across his ass hole. Tony's fingers dug into the mattress and he held on for dear life while Gibbs licked from his ass hole up to his balls. He thrust his hips, desperately searching for some sort of friction for his cock and when he couldn't find any, he rolled himself over and raised his ass up towards Gibbs, practically begging him to continue while his cock dangled down and rubbed against the mattress.

Gibbs spread Tony's cheeks and continued licking, alternating long sweeping strokes with shorter ones. He wiggled his tongue against Tony's skin while Tony whimpered and moaned and pushed back against him. He suckled against Tony's perineum and let his fingers slip inside one at a time, preparing Tony to take his cock.

"Shit!" Tony gasped when Gibbs started teasing his cock while he continued licking and suckling and thrusting with his fingers.

Gibbs nipped and licked the underside of Tony's cock and tongued his balls before returning his tongue to Tony's entrance. He was definitely loosened up and ready. They both were. After a few final swipes, he reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a tube of lube out of the drawer and a condom out of his wallet. He made quick work of getting the condom on and getting them lubed up then lined himself up and eased inside Tony.

Tony keened even more and pushed back against Gibbs. The soft grunts and cries of pleasure filled the room as Gibbs took things slow. Tony was continually pushing back against him and thrusting up towards him every time Gibbs pulled out too far.

"Settle, Tony," Gibbs ordered softly. "I'm not gonna leave you hanging."

"But I want it. I want you," Tony whimpered. He had never wanted anyone more than he wanted Gibbs. He pushed against Gibbs so hard that their knees came off the bed then wiggled his ass so he could feel the incredible feeling of Gibbs' cock moving inside him.

Gibbs rested his weight against Tony's back, pushing them back down onto the mattress. He wrapped his arms around Tony and his gentle, almost lazy strokes turned purposeful and direct. Tony continued trying to buck but Gibbs' position gave him the upper hand. When he angled himself so his cock would rub against Tony's prostate that brought more gasping and whimpering and bucking from Tony.

Tony pushed himself up on all fours, trying to gain a little bit of control and moved with Gibbs. When he arched his back, Gibbs picked up the pace, the new position allowing him to thrust deeply into Tony's body. He grabbed onto Tony's shoulders and held him in place while he pounded into him, putting almost constant pressure on his prostate. His balls were getting tighter and his thrusts more erratic as completion neared.

Tony fell flat on the bed when he reached around in search of Gibbs' ass. His fingers dug into the man's hips as he pushed his ass up and begged Gibbs to push harder. Gibbs obliged and felt the exact moment Tony's body tensed before a low squeal of pleasure ripped through the room.

Tony's orgasm started deep inside him and tore through his entire body as Gibbs continued the rough, purposeful thrusts that rubbed relentlessly on his prostate and caused him to cum without having his dick touched. Just as Tony's started to come down from his high, Gibbs was erupting inside with a whole stream of dirty talk of his own. The thrusting ended with one long, rough thrust where Gibbs pushed his deflating cock as deep inside Tony as he could before collapsing into a boneless heap on top of him.

"I feel like I could sleep for years after that," Tony said with peaceful sigh. "It felt so good. _You_ feel so good."

Gibbs responded with a hum of agreement and a few wet kisses to Tony's shoulder. "Sure you don't want some chow before sleep?" he asked sleepily, letting himself slip out of Tony's body. If he hadn't been wearing a condom he would've slept like that all night.

"Only you," Tony sighed. "You're all I want."

Gibbs tied the condom off and tossed it into the wastebasket while Tony wiped himself off with the comforter then the two curled around each other, Gibbs pulled the sheet over them and in no time at all sleep had claimed them.

* * *

**Eleven Months Later…**

Gibbs sat in the back of the court room courtroom trying to focus on Cody Brighton but his mind kept wandering to Tony. Brighton had waited until one week before his trial was scheduled to begin before deciding to take the plea deal being offered to him. In exchange for a lighter sentence he told of how some of his recruits had agreed to sexual favors in exchange for fast food, extra food, longer showers, cell phone privileges and getting out of some of the mundane grunt work designed to always keep them on their feet.

He told the court about how his last night with Caleb Ramsey had gotten a little out of hand, spinning it to make it appear more like a passionate encounter than rape. Gibbs' mind wandered to Tony as Brighton explained how he'd gone to check on Ramsey in the middle of the night and found him dead. He'd asked Tony if he wanted to go to Brighton's sentencing hearing with him but Tony had made it very clear that he didn't want to have anything to do with the man. He'd agreed to testify as a favor to Gibbs but beyond that he hadn't even wanted to talk about anything that had happened.

"Where'd you get the napalm?" the JAG prosecutor asked.

That question brought Gibbs' attention back to the proceedings. He'd been wondering the same thing. It had been bothering him since the beginning. He hated loose ends. Whoever was distributing napalm needed to be brought in as well.

"A friend that knows his way around the black market," Brighton answered.

"Why?"

"I needed to make sure the fire burned hot enough to destroy all evidence of Ramsey's cause of death."

"What's this friend's name?"

Brighton looked hesitantly from the judge to the prosecutor.

"Or we could go to trial and you could test your luck there."

"Fletcher Hargrove," Brighton answered reluctantly.

Gibbs knew that name. Fornell had arrested Hargrove for an unrelated crime earlier that spring. Looked like he was going to be getting more time tacked onto his stay.

"Who rented the car you blew up?"

Brighton shrugged. "I paid one of the other recruits to do it. Came up with some bull shit story about having an affair and needing a vehicle no one would recognize so I could go see my girl without my wife finding out. I honestly don't even remember the kid's name though."

The JAG prosecutor seemed happy with that answer. All recruits looked the same with their shaved heads and matching uniforms. The clerk at the car rental company had probably just been confused. "I just have one more question for you, Mr. Brighton. Are you sorry for what you did?"

Brighton stared straight ahead, his eyes fixed on the wall, his mouth in a tight line and his body under perfect control except for his balled up fists twitching at his side.

The judge watched him carefully. He always took remorse into consideration when he was figuring out sentencing and the fact that Cody Brighton couldn't even muster up a half-assed apology told him a lot. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" the judge asked. "This is your only chance to speak before I sentence you."

"I signed a plea deal,"Brighton said, looking up at the judge in confusion.

"This is my courtroom," the judge stated firmly. "I get the final say here and what you do or don't say right now will determine if I respect the deal you made with JAG or overrule it with one of my own."

"Look, I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Brighton said. "Am I sorry? Yeah, I'm sorry. I thought this was a win-win situation for everybody. The recruits get a few luxuries and I get a little pleasure. Nobody was supposed to get hurt. If I could take it back I would."

The court listened as Brighton made excuses for his behavior and attempted to downplay what had happened as a result. He either wasn't grasping the seriousness of exploiting the recruits that had put all their trust in him or he just didn't care. Either way, the judge wasn't impressed with his excuses or the apology he'd practically had to force out of him.

After Brighton spoke, Ramsey's mother read a heart wrenching letter to the court, pleading with the judge for justice for her son and making sure Brighton knew exactly what he'd stolen from her, their family and the world. The judge thanked her for her input and Gibbs stood and helped the tearful woman back to her seat.

"This court is in recess for lunch," the judge announced, lifting his gavel. "Sentencing will take place this afternoon." He banged the gavel down then disappeared from the room. He had a lot to think about.

* * *

Gibbs undid his tie letting it hang loosely around his neck as he walked up to his front door. It was strange getting home when it was still light outside but kind of nice. Too bad Tony wasn't there to enjoy it with him. High school football practice had kicked off that week with a three day camp about an hour north of them. Since Tony was the head coach he had to go but thankfully he'd be getting home sometime that evening.

Between coaching baseball and football and working as a personal trainer, Tony was just about as busy as he was. Gibbs couldn't have been happier for him though. While his rich father sat in New York City moving millions around every day, Tony was working his tail off to get a degree in criminal justice. A day at work with Gibbs had turned into a ride along with DC Metro and a job shadowing experience with one of Gibbs' close friend's at the FBI, Tobias Fornell, which had awakened Tony to a passion for using his knowledge, reasoning skills and compassionate heart to protect and serve. It wasn't the same as being a Marine but it was a profession Tony could be proud of and Gibbs would be the first to admit that Tony had good instincts and a knack for solving mysteries. He was a natural.

After changing into a pair of cargo shorts and a t-shirt, Gibbs brewed a pot of coffee then relaxed on the couch and tried to figure out what he was going to say to Tony. The fact that Tony didn't have to testify seemed like a small victory that opened the door to a possible big disappointment. What if Tony decided that since there was no trial, it was time for him to leave? He didn't really have anywhere to go but he was young and there was a lot of world out there to explore.

On the other hand, Tony had started building a life in DC. He'd struck up an unlikely friendship with an MIT graduate who ran a computer club at the same high school he coached at and he was taking classes at one of the local colleges but it was summer break and he could easily transfer out. They had settled into living together easily. It had taken a little getting used to and they still had an occasional fight but they had a built a strong friendship and always worked through their differences. As for the sex…well , that was phenomenal. But was all that enough to keep Tony around? Gibbs couldn't imagine going back to the quiet, empty house he'd had before Tony had come into his life.

Talking about the future and fretting over every detail of their lives didn't seem like a very manly thing to do so they lived day to day and enjoyed being in the moment but now came the moment of truth and Gibbs was afraid of what Tony's decision might be.

"Honey, I'm home!" Tony called out as he stepped through the front door. The Shania Twain song had come on the radio station he'd been listening to and he'd enjoyed the catchy beat too much to change it. Now it was stuck in his head.

"How was camp?" Gibbs asked as Tony leaned over the couch where he was sitting for a kiss.

After a series of kisses and sliding down into Gibbs' lap, Tony finally pulled back and smiled as he looked his lover over. He'd missed the man even more than he thought he would. "It was sketchy at first but the kids really got it together at the end. We're gonna have a great team this year."

"Good," Gibbs said. He brushed his thumb over Tony's cheek and nuzzled noses with him.

"What's going on, Jethro?" Tony asked, running his fingers over the worry lines on Gibbs' face. "Something's bothering you. I can tell."

"It's Brighton," Gibbs replied, still fumbling to get his thoughts together.

"What? He threaten my life?" Tony scoffed. He looked at Gibbs with an amused smile. "You worried he's gonna try to kill me again? Always my protector."

"He took the plea deal," Gibbs said, letting his hands travel slowly up Tony's well defined core and his thumbs graze over the soft skin beneath his t-shirt. "No trial, no testimony, no nothin'."

"That's awesome!" Tony exclaimed. "I was more than willing to do it for you, Jethro, but I really didn't wanna have to tell the court what that guy did to me."

"The judge gave him the maximum sentence," Gibbs said. "He wasn't impressed with the half-assed, emotionless apology Brighton tried to give."

"He turn it around and make it all about him?" Tony asked. "That's how he was during training too."

"He should get a lot of attention in jail," Gibbs said with a smirk.

"A lot of sex too," Tony added. "Sounds like the perfect place for him."

"What about you?" Gibbs asked. "Where's the perfect place for you?"

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"There's nothing keeping you here anymore."

A look of surprise crossed Tony's face until he realized Gibbs was being serious. "You're a dumb ass, you know that?"

"I've been selfish, Tony," Gibbs confessed. He ran his hand down Tony's cheek and across his neck as he spoke. Tony raised his chin, allowing Gibbs to explore more of that part of his body. "I've kept you here under some implied, thinly veiled excuse of protective custody, all so I could have you whenever I wanted."

"I knew I didn't have to stay here, Jethro," Tony said seriously. "Sometimes I felt guilty for imposing so I guess that makes me selfish too and it's not like I didn't go along with the 'protective custody' thing so I could get into your pants too. I think that makes us even."

"But are you really happy here?" Gibbs asked, needing to be sure.

"I'm happy wherever you are," Tony said. "I have jobs, school, friends and, well, the best boyfriend on the planet." He smiled sweetly at his lover as he caressed his chest. "I've been burned enough times to hate the 'l' word but damn it, Jethro, I love you and I'm not going anywhere." He searched his partner's eyes for any sign that that might not be what Gibbs wanted to hear but didn't see one.

"We should probably talk more often," Gibbs said with a relieved smile. It felt like the weight of the world had just been lifted off his shoulders. He could've avoided a lot of stress if he hadn't been so afraid of having this conversation but feelings and words never really were his strong suit.

"How long have you been worried about this?"

"Months."

"Me too," Tony confessed. "We definitely need to talk more. I was just scared of being pushed away again... being unwanted again."

"I was scared of being left again," Gibbs admitted quietly.

"Now we don't have to be scared anymore," Tony said happily. "I'm not even afraid of the 'l' word. I love you so much, Jethro Gibbs."

Gibbs drew Tony into a tight embrace, happy and relieved that he didn't have to worry about losing the man that had come to mean so much to him and excited for what the future held for both of them. He nibbled at Tony's ear before whispering words he never thought he'd say to anyone again. "I love you too, Tony."

The deep, sensual kisses and exploring hands stirred their need, heightening their desire, especially after not seeing each other for the last three days. Tony pulled his shirt over his head before resting his body against Gibbs' as he started rocking his hips.

"I just have one question, Jethro."

Gibbs kissed and nipped down the side of Tony's neck, letting his body respond freely to Tony's movements. "Hmm?"

"Can we please, _please_ get cable?"

**End.**


End file.
